Clarity
by Quietly Making Noise
Summary: ".. other than the physical pain, he felt oddly at peace with himself." Quick 1-shot scene, aftermath of the horrific 5th case from T&T. [I played this again recently and desperately needed more closure. Major Spoilers for Trials & Tribulations. Does not contain sex.]


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It was the first time Godot could remember that the darkness didn't feel so bitter. Of course, the stinging swabbing was making it hard to concentrate on anything else, but other than the physical pain, he felt oddly at peace with himself. His mouth quirked up at one corner, but the nurse cleaning him up didn't notice.

He was in the courtroom medical office, holding his mask in his hands and picking at the dried blood, his head high while the dagger wound was finally cleaned and dressed. He sensed displeasure from the nurse, and his feeling was confirmed when she tutted and roughly pushed his head to get a better angle. The cut stretched from left cheekbone to above his right eye, catching his nose. 'Prosecutor Godot, this wound is really terrible. If you had left it, it could have become very dangerous.'

Godot said nothing. Perhaps that was what he had wanted all along. After that moment, or rather that explosion of clarity he had experienced a mere hour ago, he was feeling somewhat adrift. The door to the lobby opened to let someone in, and Godot turned his head, to another annoyed noise from the nurse. His nostrils flared at once and he held out a hand.

Edgeworth slid the mug onto his fingers and watched him relax as he inhaled the steam. With the hand still holding his mask he shooed the nurse out of the way, and gulped. Edgeworth hugged himself one-handed and tried to keep his gaze from straying to the prosecutor's injury. 'Your coffee-making assistant sends her regards,' he said quietly.

'Ah, it's the boy-genius, the hot-shot of the Prosecutor's Office. It's been a while, hasn't it.'

'I suppose so. But I would not say I am the same Miles Edgeworth you used to know.'

'Yeah? You really changed that much?' Godot submitted to the nurse again and she resumed swabbing. 'Let me take a wild guess. Was it something to do with a certain defence lawyer?'

'...!'

Godot smirked at the sound of Edgeworth's surprise. 'There's something about that kid.' He took another swig from the mug. 'He finds the best in people and yanks it out of them.'

'Armando... About your trial.'

'Already talking about that, are we? And me not even cleaned up yet.'

Edgeworth felt a stab of familiar irritation. 'You needn't be clean to be convicted,' he snapped. 'But I came to say... Wright and I will take your case, if you wish. Between us, will easily be able to get you a more lenient sentence. You were acting to save a life, after all.'

'...' Godot's fingers tightened around the mug, and Edgeworth winced as a flash of memory struck him. 'I don't think I can decide that at this point.' His voice sounded odd; tighter. 'There's a lot of... stuff... that I need to think about.'

'That's fine. We'll be in touch nearer the time. Ah, speaking of which, do you have your cell phone?'

Godot transferred the mug to his other hand and plunged his free hand into his trouser pocket. He held the phone out in front of him, and Edgeworth, with a cold feeling, had to take a step to the right to receive it. He programmed in both his and Wright's numbers and dropped it back into Godot's waiting palm. 'Thank you.'

'How's Maya?'

Edgeworth stopped on his way to the door. 'She's... smiling.'

'Ha...!'

On an impulse, Edgeworth came back. 'The incident will not be without scarring. But she is an incredibly strong young woman.'

'All the Feys are. Were.' Godot gulped his coffee again.

'Armando...'

Godot was saved from replying by the nurse leaving him for a moment, and he raised his head, questioning. Before Edgeworth realised it, he was hugging himself again. 'I think she's getting needle and thread.'

Godot's brows rose; a thread of blood escaped at the movement and curved down his cheek. 'Ow... That's some wound I got there. ... Hey, hot-shot.'

'What is it?'

'When you disappeared two years ago... That was because of _him_, wasn't it?'

'Nnghh...'

'And Little Miss von Whiplash. I heard she also went AWOL after dealing with him. Perhaps I should be following the trend, but in a more... permanent sense.'

'If you did,' said Edgeworth carefully, 'would that really solve anything? Also,' he added, thinking of his own experience, 'he'd find it very hard to forgive you for running away.' Other images faded to the foreground of his head. 'And I'm sure Maya and Pearl would be very upset.'

The nurse returned and laid her tools on the table behind him. She plucked both mask and mug from his hands, and Godot made an eloquent, helpless gesture. Edgeworth smiled. 'Hm! I'll be back later to check on you. Think about my proposition. We'll be waiting for you, Godot.'

'Ha...! You really think you're the first one to use that pun? You're losing your touch, boy.'

Reassured by this insult, Edgeworth left.

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End file.
